News

Mindfulness maintenance: fortnightly session at the Coates Centre

5 January 2026 by webadmin

Continue your mindfulness practice fortnightly at the Coates Centre

If you are affected by a life-limiting illness, are a carer or are living with a loss or bereavement, we are here to support you.

This session is for experienced meditators who are familiar with a regular sitting practice and that have completed Oakhaven's 6-week Introduction to Mindfulness course. Our fortnightly session, facilitated by our trained volunteer Gillian, is aimed at continuing your mindfulness practice.

The benefits of mindfulness

This skill of developing moment to moment awareness brings benefits to both our physical and mental wellbeing. Mindfulness training has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, help better cope with physical and emotional pain, increase cognitive ability, help with memory and improve relationships.

How it works

We can easily be triggered to react to stressful situations in well-worn habitual ways, often our reactions are not helpful in the long run and can lead to further stress.

Through mindfulness practice we will develop greater awareness of thoughts, feelings, and associated bodily-sensations that are normally out of the ordinary field of perception. These can trigger these stressful patterns of thinking and reaction. We learn the skill of not reacting as we usually would and in doing so we break the cycle of triggered reactions.

What you will learn

On the course you will learn a range of formal and informal mindfulness practices which include some meditations, some gentle yoga movement practices and some cognitive exercises. This helps bring greater awareness, concentration and choice to our experience. Being part of a supported learning group is also an important aspect of learning mindfulness.

Together we will be working to change the patterns of mind that have been around for a long time and have become well-worn habits. We will only make progress with this if we put in the time and effort to learn these skills and to practice them on a daily basis. This relies on your willingness to practice regularly at home between class sessions.

The course is held every other Friday from 10am to 12.30pm, at the Coates Centre, Oakhaven Hospice.

Book your space now!

Book your space today by using the form below:

Alternatively, please contact either Lee Rand, Wellbeing Coordinator, or Sally Woods, Complementary Therapy Coordinator, by emailing wellbeing@oakhavenhospice.co.uk or telephone Sally Woods on 01590 638497 or Lee Rand on 01590 613025.

We look forward to warmly welcoming you to Mindfulness Maintenance!

Patient being cared for at home by a nurse

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Oakhaven Neighbours provide a friendly helping hand to patients

29 December 2025 by Tanya Baddeley

Oakhaven Neighbours provide a friendly helping hand to patients

'Oakhaven Neighbours' are volunteers who support Oakhaven patients at home. This important team offers companionship and lends a helping hand with everyday tasks that can become overwhelming when navigating a life-limiting illness.

Neighbours are highly trained and supported by the clinical team at Oakhaven Hospice. They get involved with a variety of things, for example, picking up prescriptions, light shopping, gardening, accompanying for walks, and companionship or maybe sitting with a patient so that the carer can take a much-needed break, safe in the knowledge that their loved one is in good hands.

Ken, an Oakhaven patient, has written a number of books over the years but even with voice recognition it is becoming increasingly difficult. Sally, an Oakhaven neighbour, started visiting him in April 2025 to help prepare the manuscript for his book 'Tales Out Of The Blue'. This collection of short stories was self published in August 2025. The weekly visits have continued, and the second collection is well on the way. They both enjoy sharing the tales based on Ken's vivid imagination and many experiences in his life.

'Neighbours is a splendid element of Oakhaven's work'

Jerry, an Oakhaven Neighbour, explains how he first got involved as an Oakhaven Neighbour:

"In the late Spring of 2024 I found I had a little time on my hands, so arranged to become a 'Neighbour' with Oakhaven Hospice, and subsequently met Bill, an Oakhaven patient in Dibden Purlieu. Since then, we have met weekly for an hour or so, during which we discuss everything under the sun and generally put the world to rights. Bill's great passion is aviation, and my RAF background ensures we have a lot in common, but rarely does a topic arise that we can't resolve. Bill, I know, enjoys our sessions, and I most certainly do. An hour spent in his company is a real pleasure, as is, of course, the arrival halfway through them of his delightful wife with tea and Jammie Dodgers! Neighbours is a splendid element of Oakhaven's work. I wish I had been involved in it earlier."

Become an Oakhaven Neighbours Volunteer and be a part of something special

Do you have a couple of hours to spare to help someone locally with the shopping, take them for a coffee or maybe stay at home with them whilst their carer goes out to run an errand?

Being an Oakhaven Neighbour is incredibly rewarding. You will be giving something back to the community in a way that is hugely appreciated by patients and their families.

"Being a Neighbour means I can help others less fortunate than myself", said Geoff.

"I get back as much as I give", commented Linda, "it's a commitment, but provides a great sense of purpose."

Click here to find out more about becoming an Oakhaven Neighbour. If you would like to know more about the programme, please get in touch with Sara Thomas by email at neighbours@oakhavenhospice.co.uk

Click here to find out more about Oakhaven Neighbours

There are many ways you could volunteer for Oakhaven

We are so grateful to our family of over 425 volunteers, who give their time and energy to support Oakhaven, bringing a wealth of experience along with their commitment in wanting to help others and make a difference.

When people ask what they could do as a volunteer for Oakhaven Hospice, the short answer is "almost anything". Volunteers support our work in every department. As well as Oakhaven Neighbours, volunteers also support patients in our Inpatient Unit, with our Therapy team, in our Day Hospice, in the Coates Centre, in our shops and retail donation centre, at events and out in the community as Awareness Volunteers.

Whether you have an occasional half an hour or would like to get involved more regularly, there'll be something for you! It's a great way to develop new skills, meet new friends and be a part of a worthwhile community cause.

Click here to find out more about becoming part of the Oakhaven family of volunteers and get in touch for more information on 01590 646447 or by email at volunteering@oakhavenhospice.co.uk.

Click here to find out more about volunteering roles with Oakhaven Hospice